Pattern mechanism for knitting machines



P. W. BRISTOW PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Feb. 24, 1948.

Filed Feb. 2]., 1946 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 24, 1948. P. w. BRISTOW 2,436,468

PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb" 21, 1946 3.Sheets-Sheet 2 I //VV[A/70 P404 14 52/570 Feb. 24, 1948. P. w. BRISTOW PAYITE RN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 21; 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Awavroe P/m h/ 2570 Patented Feb. 24, 1948 PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Paul W. Bristow, Laconia, N. H., assignor to Scott & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. H., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 21, 1946, Serial No. 649,259

14 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a knitting machine and has particular reference to the pattern mechanism of such machine.

The main pattern mechanisms of knitting machines, as contrasted with auxiliary pattern devices which are controlled by the main pattern mechanisms, generally comprise two sets of mechanisms. First, there is the usual pattern chain which, except for-link-saving means of a type hereafter described, is provided with a link corresponding to each course or to each pair of courses of a stocking or other article knit on the machine, This main pattern chain is advanced one link in each course or in each pair of courses and serves as the master control for all of the events which are involved in the formation of the knitted product. Inasmuch as this chain, consistently with simplicity of construction and arrangement of the controlling lugs which it carries, could not alone eifect the complete control of the knitting machine there is associated with it a drum carrying usually, for example in a hosiery knitting machine, a large number of sets of cams for the purpose of controlling the various elements of the machine such as needle actuating cams, yarn fingers, wrapping devices, auxiliary pattern devices and the like. This drum has, of course, a limited circumference much less in extent than the main pattern chain and consequently cannot be stepped ahead in the formation of every course or even at regular more extended intervals since frequently it must advance in each of a plurality of successive courses. Furthermore, in most cases this drum, when the cams are once set up thereon. may be retained unchanged for the formation of a great variety of diiferent products. Accordingly, the drum is controlled by the pattern chain, lugs there-on determining the activity of a pawl arranged to drive a ratchet connected to the pattern drum. Through the major number of courses of a stocking, for example, the pawl for driving the pattern drum ratchet is inactive, being raised out of position to engage a ratchet though continuously oscillated by the driving mechanism of the machine. Only when it is permitted to drop into engagement with the ratchet under the control of the pattern chain does it produce an advance of the drum.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an association of driving means for the pattern chain and main cam drum having various advantages, the major one of which is to insure such proper cooperation between the chain and drum as-to prevent smashes due to getting the chain and drum out of step as could be the case in prior arrangements. This is due to the fact that in reciprocation of the needle cylinder a forward reciprocation will take place during a displacement of the driving mechanism which would produce a single rotation of the needle cylinder. The reverse reciprocation occurs during a displacement of the driving mechanism also corresponding to a single rotation of the needle cylinder. In view of this it is evident that if the chain was accidentally displaced the length of one link, or one step which might be a half link, it might happen that the drum would advance during a forward reciprocation to produce a cam change which should only occur during a reverse reciprocation. This might further include an attempt of the pattern drum to shift the clutch to change from reciprocation to rotation or vice versa during an incorrect phase. The result would, of course, be a smashing of the parts.

To avoid this, arrangement is made in accordance with the present invention whereby, during each rotation of a shaft which makes a complete rotation in the time corresponding to two rotations of the needle cylinder, or the time involved in a complete forward and reverse reciprocation of the needle cylinder, the chain is advanced through the length of one link in two steps, there being an advance of a half link length followed by a pause and then an advance of the next half link length without reversal of the movement of the driving pawl. In the same time the pawl which drives the drum ratchet is advanced one stroke but this stroke is made up of an advance, a rest and then several successive shortadvances with interposed rests. In both cases the pawl is advanced without reverse movement once for every two rotations of the needle cylinder. As will be clear hereafter the result of this is to insure that the second portion of the advance of the cam drum cannot be controlled by the first part of the'advance of the chain and vice versa, with the result that irrespective of the position to which the chain might by accident be arbitrarily advanced by hand there will always be a proper correspondence between the movements of the chain and movements ofthe cam drum which particular chain movements are required to produce. While an incorrect placing of the chain may then result in the formation of improper work nevertheless, there will not result a smashing of the machine parts.

In accordance with the invention there are also eliminated fast moves of the drum so that better 3 assurance is had of its proper positioning at the end of each pawl stroke. This is due to the fact that by reason of elimination of reverse movements of the pawl at each course more time can be devoted to advance of the pawl, the pawl dropping back only once for every two courses.

A further object of the invention is to save space on the main cam drum by making possible a shortening of the steps required for operation consistent with proper control by the drum.

These and other objects of the invention particularly relating to details of construction and operation will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of portions of a knitting machine 'embodyingithe matters of the present invention, the frame of the machine being indicated in construction lines;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing various parts of Figure lhaving'todo with the invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view corresponding to a portion of Figure 2 but showing parts in another position;

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the adjustable mounting of a cam on a driving shaft;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary axial sectional View showing in particular the fashion in which a masking wheel accomplishes its action; and

Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the timing of the strokes of the pawls for advancing the chain and the pattern drum and illustrating further the fashions in which various movements of the pattern drum occur.

The drive of the pattern mechanism is accomplished, in the specific instance illustrated, from a. a gear 2 secured to a shaft which makes one revolution for each rotation of the needle cylinder or for each stroke during reciprocation of the needle cylinder. The knitting machine, may, in general, be conventional, and while for simplicity of description reference will be made consistently to a rotary needle cylinder it will be obvious that the invention is applicable to stationary cylinder machines and, indeed, to knitting machines in general and not solely to rotary machines. The gear 2 drives a gear 4 of twice its diameter which is secured to a shaft 6 from which the movements of the pattern mechanism are derived. The shaft 6 ismilled out as indicated at 8 to form flats engageable by screws l threaded into the hub i 2 of a cam M which controls the pawl for driving the pattern drum. By reason 'of'the adjustment indicated the position of this cam may beset so that the timing of the movements of the pattern drum may be fixed properly in relationship to the needle cylinder. The cam M has a low pointat l followed by a rise at IS, a dwell atand then successive rises 22, 26 and 30 with interposed dwells 24 and 28. From the high point following the rise 38 there is a rapid drop 32 to the low point It. A follower roller36 is carriedby one arm 38 of a bell crank 40 pivoted to the frame at 42 and having a second arm 45 provided with'a pivot 46 carrying the pawl 48 which has an engaging nose 50 arranged to drive the teeth '52 of the ratchet of the main cam drum 54 which carries'the cams 55 in conventional fashion for control of the various parts of the machine. A laterally extending pin 58 on the pawl overlies an arm 60 of a lever, the hub 62 of which is journaled on a shaft 64 carried by the frame. A secondarm of this lever constitutes a follower GEarranged to be acted upon by lugs 68 on one side of the having a'ratchet-engaging end 94. 15'

4 pattern chain 18. This pattern chain is driven by a sprocket l2 and for the purpose of supporting its length is trained in the usual fashion over a series of idler sprockets which are not illustrated.

A second cam 14 is secured to the shaft 6 and has a low point 15, a rise 'lB, a dwell 18, a further rise 'and'thena drop'fll' to the low point. The ends of the two rests of this cam are spaced approximately A follower roller 82 bearing on this cam is carried by an arm 84 of a bell crank :86 also pivoted on the stud 42 and having a second arm 99 to which there is pivoted at 92 a pawl 93 Springs 44 and 88,"respectively, maintain the bell cranks 49 and 86 in contact with their cams.

Thepawl 93- engages the teeth of a ratchet 96 secured to the pattern chain sprocket 12. These teeth are equally spaced about the ratchet and are indexed to correspond with the links of the pattern chain '50 that the advance through one tooth length corresponds to the-advance of a single pattern chainlink.

Loosely mounted on the ratchet 96 :for' independent rotation about the'same is '--a second ratchet 98 provided with equally spacedteeth lllll indexed to correspond with the teeth of ithe ratchet 96 with the exception of a cutaway low portion'lllZ as indicated in'Figures 2 and 3. "The pawl'94 issUficiently broad to overlap theteeth of both ratchets ilfi and 98. The ratchet 93, however, is of greater diameterthan the ratchetllfi and the depressions between the teeth I80 lie outside the tops of the'teeth of 'theratchet 96 so that-except'when thelow space N12 isopposite the stroke-of the pawl 93, the pawl isprevented from'engaging the teeth ofratchet 96. On the other hand, when-the low space H32 is aligned with'the stroke of'the'pawl, the pawrmay drop sufficientlylow to engage the'teeth of ratchet 96.

The masking ratchet 98 is provided with a block )4 onthe side adjacentto the chain Hi. Cooperating'with this block I04 are lugs I06 laterally extending from certain links on the pattern chain, these lugs being arranged to engage-"or to be engaged by the block I04.

Lugs- Hill are provided on thelinks of the pattern chain on the side opposite the lugs 8. These'are arranged'to actupon a follower arm I 1'0 of'a lever also pivoted on the stud 64, another arm H'Zof which lever-is arranged to drive a thrust red I [4 for rocking a lever'H'8, the function of which is to move laterally a slide for thecontrol'of-striping in accordance with the principles illustrated in the patent to'Lawson and Bristow, No. 2,388,750, dated November 13, 1945. This patented striping mechanism forms no part of the present invention and hence need not be further described, it being understood that it is merely illustrative of a general class of devices which may be controlled directly from the patternchain in addition to the function of this chain in controlling the 'main pattern drum. Additional lugs'extending upwardly'or laterally from'the-"pattern' chain may serve'toefiect other controls in fashions well known to those skilled in the art.

A lever I6 I pivoted at IE3 and urgedclockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, by a spring I05, carries "detents It! and H39 respectively engageable in the notches between'the teeth of ratchet98. These detents are spaced to straddle the low part 102 with the'result that one or the other is always in contact with the ratchet.

Reference willfirstbe made to the general'as- ;pects of operation or the mechanism'heretofore described. Assume first that the low portion I02 of the ratchet 98 is in alignment with the stroke of the pawl 93 so that it may drop sufliciently low to engage the ratchet 96. The reciprocations of 1 the pawl 93 will then advance the pattern chain in such fashion that during the first portion of a stroke the pattern chain will be advanced a -half link and then in the second portion of the same stroke a furtherhalf link to complete the advance of a full link. Each half link advance corresponds, then, to a single course, or if reciprocation is occurring, to either a forward or a backward reciprocation of the needle cylinder.

It will, of course, be understood that the invention is applicable to a stationary cylinder-rotary cam will be understood that the mechanism is applicable to the control of devices of similar nature in full fashion or other machines.

other controls due to lugs thereon, such as the provision of striping, the main cam drum will remain stationary until a lug 66 engages the follower 66 and lowers the arm 69 to permit the pawl 48 to engage the drum ratchet. In the advance of the drum by the pawl the cam I4 provides, as indicated by its shape, an advance followed by a pause and then a series of three further advances with interposed pauses before dropping back to its initial position. As will be pointed out hereafter, the pawl may not be active through all of these advances and, consequently, varied movements of the drum may be effected in the time of formation of either one or both of two successive courses or strokes of the needle cylinder.

The action of the masking wheel occurs in the following fashion. A lug I96 carried by the pat tern chain will eventually approach the rear of the block I64 having a fixed position with respect to the low region I62 of the ratchet 98. In the next stroke of the pawl 93 a tooth of the ratchet 96 will be engaged so that the chain will again be driven forwardly. As the chain new advances, however, the lug I96 by engagement with the block I04 will drive the masking ratchet forwardly so that the low space I62 will be carried beyond the position of the stroke of the pawl 93. Accordingly, on the next following backward movement of the pawl, the pawl will rise up Ove the ratchet 98 and engage one of the teeth I66 immediately following the space I62, In subsequent strokes of the pawl, therefore, the pawl will advance only the masking ratchet 68 without advancing the ratchet 96. The chain then remains stationary until the block I64 reaches the position illustrated in Figure 3 in which it is brought behind the lug I06. In the next stroke of the pawl acting upon the masking ratchet 98 the chain will then be advanced not by engagement of the pawl with the ratchet 96 but by reason of the engage- 'ment of the block III I with the lug I06.

last stroke of the pawl will again bring the low "space I02 in alignment with the pawl stroke so 1 that the masking wheel will again come to rest and the normal advance of the ratchet 96 by the This pawl will be resumed. This action will then continue untilanother lug I66 engages the block I04. As'will be evident, in the formation of a'portion of the stocking in which the chain would have blank links and ordinarily only the function of counting the courses, the use of the masking ratchet will serve to save links in the chain since the function of counting the courses is assumedby step-by-step revolution of the masking ratchet. This action, for example, may occur during the formation of the leg or of the foot of a stocking during a large number of courses of which there may be no yarn finger substitution nor any necessity for advance of the pattern drum.

There will now be explained the fashion in which the pattern drum is advanced under control of the pattern chain and, in particular, the

reason why the two cannot get out of step so that, for example, it will be impossible for the drum to be advanced during a forward reciprocation when the advance should take place during a reverse reciprocation. In Figure 6 the two curves at the left hand portion thereof represent, respectively, the movements of the pattern drum driving pawl and the movements of the chain driving pawl plotted against a scale on which 360 represents a complete cycle of pawl movements corresponding to a single rotation of shaft 6 or two rotations of the needle cylinder. The movements of the drum driving pawl 48 under the action of the cam l4 involve an advance H8, a dwell I26, an advance I22, a dwell I24, an advance I26, a dwell I28 and an advance I30 to the extreme forward position assumed by the pawl followed by a rapid reversal to its fully retracted position. While in the graph of Figure 6 the successive steps are shown as sharply defined, it will be understood that the movements involve gradual accelerations and decelerations and that consequently to present a perfectly accurate picture the various angles in the graph should be rounded. However, for the purpose of explanation a sharp distinction of movements may be assumed.

The pawl 94, under the action of cam I4, starts from its fully retracted position at I15, advances at I16, dwells at I76, advances at I66 and then moves backwardly to its initial position at I8I. It will be noted that the ends of the advances I16 and I66 precede in time the beginnings of the advances II8 and I26. of the drum pawl. The result is that prior to the advances of the drum pawl last mentioned there is set up the lever arm 66 so that at the ends of the advances I16 and I86 of the chain pawl there will be determined whether the next succeeding advances of the drum pawl will or will not engage thecam drum ratchet.

At A in Figure 6 there are diagrammed the various advances which may be imparted to the cam drum assuming that the drum pawl is operative through the entire advance of the drum pawl during a cycle. Suppose a tooth I34 of the cam drum is in position so that the pawl 48 will engage it during the beginning of the advance IIB, this tooth having been positioned by the preceding advance of the cam drum just forwardly of the rearmost position assumed by the engaging nose 56 of pawl 48. The cam drum then advances during the stroke from I34 to I34, this advance taking place in a series of steps during the ad during the second portion .of the cycle.

*vances "H8; 122,1126and 13B. The-result1is,-xof course, :at maximum advance :of the cam drum. -If :a double cam change is .desired during' the cor- I 'responding two:revolutions of theneedle "cylinder thenithis advancenf ithezcylinder may-be'useful.

However, economyaof :advance. of the cam "drum 7 maybe rsecured :in :many cases by a'difierent arrangement .ofrthe teeth on the drum. "For example, suppose the tooth l'sfiristo be engagedduring a cycle. This would first "be engaged (during the. advance 1.22 and successive advances would take place-corresponding to 126 and 43!! "so that the tooth would eventually arriveat I36. *If then the first-movement of the cylinder during the (cycle wasrequired only near the completion of the first half cycle,v this-arrangement could be used, -followed 1by=a possible :further cam change in the second half of the same cycle.

Again the tooth might-start from eitheri of the the same positions I38 and I40.

sequent to the tooth to be engaged during the cycle espaced less than the spacing represented zfrom the tooth to the :lineindicated at M2, other- -wisethe pawl bein active throughout the entire cycle the succeeding tooth would be picked up rather than'the desiredtooth. The possible waste of-movement thus involved in the next advance i of-the pattern drum may be avoidedby adopting the arrangement and operation illustrated at B andC. I In the :case illustrated in-B it is assumed that the chainscontrol is such that the drum pawl is operative through the first :half of the cycle butnot through the second half, i. e., that a lug iis-ibrought into position .to lower the lever arm 60 during theladvance 175 of the pawl 94 but that this lug .is carried out of position to control the arm B9 during the advance I88 ofthe pawl 94. Under such circumstances the drum pawl will be operative "during the advances H8 and .122 but willbe raisedand inoperative duringthe advances 1'26 and 138. 'Asa result a tooth positioned at 44 will reach M4 in the cycle as the result of the two advances, while a tooth I 36. will reach the position M5. "If advances are required. in the ".first portion ofa cycle, the operation just indicated may be adopted without'the wasteful necessity'of producing further advance 'of the drum case illustrated at C it is assumed that the chain "lug arrangement provides .thatthe drum pawl will i be inoperative during the advances H8 and "I 22 but operative during the advances I26 and 130. Under these circumstances a tooth M8 may be advanced to M8 or ato'oth ISQmay' be advanced "to 156', the former action occurring intwo steps during the advances I25 and I39 and the latter only during the advance I39. Since the pawl M8 "willnotdropinto engagement with the ratchet until the time of the rise [89, it will be evident that it is no lon er requiredthat the drum ratchet s'houldbe without a subsequent tooth :back to a jupoint corresponding toline IE2 inr'elation to the tooth to he acted upon; instead, it is only necessiirythatthere should be no subsequent tooth in advance of a position corresponding to the line "IE-2 which, it may be assumed, corresponds tofthe angular position at which the pawl first engages I :the' periphery of the ratchet as a lugB8 is moved In the,

=beneath the follower-166111 thesadvance I80 .of.-the :chain driving. 2 pawl.

'z-Thenforegoingwill-maka-evident the economy :cfi space'on the drum whichzmayJ be-secured by 2 a qcrcpenarrangement :of teeth thereon in :combination with pattern chain lugs. It will-also be evident that the times of movement' of the .drum uraybcrchosenouite accurately-with respect to sphasesof rotation .ofothe needlecylinder iby a cams on the pattern drum.

proper location -of "the teeth and, of :course, the

Despite these advantages, =nevertheless,- the .cLainand pattern drum cannot get out of step even though thechain. maybe pulled about on its sprocket. .So ilongas itwinds up with a detent inanotch theracannot possibly-occur in-oneof a pair iof successive half cyclesa movement;v of .the drum which should'occurin the other. Of

course, --t-he disturbance of "a pattern chain in such fashionyvould give rise to the production of astooking-orother article Whichwouldnot be desired, the product possibly being tooshort or having yarnv changes occurring at the wrong times-or the like. Nevertheless;;su-ch-an:ac'cidental disturbance of the pattern chaincannot,

in particular, produce; a 'smash of the parts of the machine, suchv as Would'be the case; for example; if an advance of a pattern drum which should take place during a forwardreciprccation wouldactually take place during ,awreverse; 're- 1. ciprocation.

On: the other hand, by the use of'tee'th on the pattern drum sufficiently long so .thei'pattern pawlxcannot drop behind more than ;one

tooth during the-moves or" the chain; anyxpos- SlBlEnfZJISG timing between pattern drum-and i cylinder is-avoi'ded, "providing no recessions .are

allowed of the --pattern drum pawl between moves which: recession would allow the pattern :drum' pawl to fall out of a tooth-beforeiits coma plate icycle'had been made :due to the lever controlarrn':tiirisingoutoftime.

-It willbeevident that the principles ofthe inveiitioncmay Ice-applied otherwise than =as 'spe- :cifically 'illustrated'without departing from the scope thereofas defined in the following claims.

What I' claim and desire to protest by Letters Patent is:

2 1.. In' combinati'on with a 1 knitting machine, controlling mechanism comprising primary and secondary controlling devices; cyclically operating "means ior-advancingthe primary controlling device, saidadvancing means having, in each cycle-of -its opera'tion, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a plurulity 'of' forward stepswithout substantial revcrsalof "itsmovement between the steps, followed by a return-movementbetween its extreme dpositions; advance of the primary controllingdevice occurring in said steps; cyclically operating Ineansforadvancing the secondary controlling device; said advancing means "for the secondary "controlling "device having, in each'cycle' of its operation; .a forward movement between'its ex treine positions comprising a "plurality of "forward steps without substantial reversal of its .mcvement'between the steps; followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, s'a'id cycles of operation .of the two advancing "means occurring .at the same frequency, and means controlled .by the primary controlling de- .vice ior selectively. determining the operativeness or iinoperativeness', to advance the secondary controlling devicaaofi the forward steps or 9 the advancing means for the secondary controlling device.

2. In combination with a knitting machine, controlling mechanism comprising primary and secondary controlling devices, cyclically operating means for advancing the primary controlling device, said advancing means having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a plurality of forward steps without substantial reversal of its movement between the steps, fol lowed by a return movement between its extreme positions, advance of the primary controlling device occurring in said steps, means for rendering said advancing means inoperative to advance the primary controlling device during certain of said steps, cyclically operating means for advancing the secondary controlling device, said advancing means for the secondary controlling device having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a plurality of forward steps without substantial reversal of its movement between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, said cycles, of operation of the two advancing means occurring at the same frequency, and means controlled by the primary controlling device for selectively determining the operativeness or inoperativeness, to advance the secondary controlling device, of the forward steps of the advancing means for the secondary controlling device.

3. In combination with a knitting machine capable of reciprocatory knitting, controlling mechanism comprising primary and secondary controlling devices, cyclically operating means for advancing the primary controlling device, said advancing means having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a plurality of forward steps without substantial reversal of its movement between'the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, advance of the primary controlling. device occurring in said steps, means for rendering said advancingmeans inoperative to advance the primary controlling device during certain of said steps, cyclically operating means for advancing the secondary controlling device, said advancing means for the secondary controlling device having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a plurality of forward steps without substantial reversal of its movement between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, said cycles of operation of the two advancing means occurring at the same frequency and at the frequency of a complete reciprocation during reciprocatory knitting, and means controlled by the primary controlling device for selectively determining the operativeness or inoperativeness, to advance the secondary controlling device, of the forward steps of the advancing means for the secondary controlling device.

4. In combination with av knitting machine capable of reciprocatory knitting, controlling mechanism comprising primary and secondary controlling devices, cyclically operating means for advancing the primary controlling device, said advancing means having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a plurality of forward steps without substantial reversal of its movement between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, advance of the primary controlling device occurring in said steps, cyclically operating means for advancing the secondary controlling device, said advancing means for the secondary controlling device having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a, plurality of forward steps without substantial reversal of its movement between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, said cycles of operation of the two advancing means occurring at the same frequency and at the frequency of a complete reciprocation during reciprocatory knitting, and means controlled by the primary controlling device for selectively determining the operativeness or inoperativeness, to advance the secondary controlling device, of the forward steps of the ad: vancing means for the secondary controlling device.

5. In combination with a knitting machine, controlling mechanism comprising primary and secondary controlling devices, cyclically operat ing means for advancing the primary controlling device, said advancing means having, in each j cycle of its operation, a forward movement be:

tween its extreme positions consisting of two for ward steps without substantial reversal of its,

movement between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, advance 0f the primary controlling device occurring in said steps, cyclically operating means for advancing the secondary controlling device, said advancing means for the secondary controlling device having. in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a plurality of forward steps without substantial reversal of its movement between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, said cycles of operation of the two advancing means occurring at the same frequency, and means controlled by the primary controlling device for selectively determining the operativeness or inoperativeness. to advance the secondary controlling device, of the forward steps of the advancing means for the secondary controlling device.

6. In combination with a knitting machine, controlling mechanism comprising primary and secondary controlling devices, cyclically operating means for advancing the primary controlling device, 'said advancing means having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions consisting of two forward steps without substantial reversal of its movement between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, advance of the primary controlling device occurring in said steps, means for rendering said advancing means inoperative to advance the primary controlling device during certain of said steps, cyclically operating means for advancing thesecondary controlling device. said advancing means for the secondary controlling device having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions omprising a plurality of forward steps without substantial reversal of its movement between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, said cycles of operation of the two advancing means occurring at the same frequency, and means controlled by the primary controlling device for selectively determining the operativeness or inoperativeness, to advance the secondary controlling device, of the forward steps of the advanoing' means for the "secondary controlling device;

'7'."In combination with a knitting. machine, controlling mechanism comprising primary" and secondary controllingdevices, theprimary controlling devicecomprising a main pattern chain and the secondary pattern device comprising a cam-carrying drum, cyclically operating-means for advancing the primary control'ing device, said advancing means having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a plurality of forward steps without substantialreversal of its movement-between the steps, followed by a return movement-between its extreme positions, advance ofthe primary controlling device occurring in said' steps, cyclically operating: means-for advancing the secondary controlling device, said advancing means for the secondary controllingdevice having, in each cycle of its operation, a forwa-rdmovement between its extreme positions comprising'a plurality'of forward steps without substantial reversal'ofits movement between the steps, foilow'edbya returnmovement between its extreme positions, said cycles of operation of the twoadvancing means occurring'at the same frequency, 'and 'means controlled by the primary controlling device for "selectivelydetermining the operativeness or" inoperativenes's; to advance the secondaryeontrolling device, of "the forwardsteps of the advancingmeans for the secondary controlling'device.

82 In combination with a knitting machine,

controlling mecl'lanism comprising primary and secondary controlling'devlces, the primary controlling device comprising a main pattern: chain and 'th'e secondary'pa-ttern device comprising a cam-carryin drum-cyclically operating means for advancing the primary controlling device,-'said advancing means having, in-each cycle of its operation, a forward-movementbetween its extreme 'positions"comprising'a plurality of forward siepswitl'iout substantial reversal of its movem'enubetw'een the steps, followed by a return movementbetween itsextreme positions," advance ofthe. primary controlling device occurring in said steps. means for rendering said advancing meanszinop'erative' to advance the primary controlling device during certain of I said steps, cyclicallyoperatin'g 'means for advancing the secondarycontrollin'g device; said advancing means for tIre secUndary controlling "device having, in each cycleof'itsoperation. a forwardmovement between its extreme positionscomprising a plurality of forwardstepswithout substantial reversal of it's m'ovement between the steps, followed'by a return movement between its extreme positions, said cycles of operation of'the two advancing means occurring at the same frequency, and means controlled by the primary controlling device forrs'e'lectively "determining the operativeness orin'operat'iveness, to advance'the secondary controlling'device; of the forward steps of I the advancing means for "the secondary controlling device.

9". 'In combination with a knitting machine capable' of'reciprocating knitting, controlling mechanism comprising primary and secondary controlling devices, cyclically operating means for advancing the primary controlling device, said advancing'means'having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positio s consisting of't'wo forward steps without substantial reversal of'its movement between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme' positions, advanceot the primary controlling device occurring in said steps, cyclically operating mean for advancing th secondary controlling device, said advancing mean for the secondary controlling device having, in each cycle of its operation, aforward movement'between its extreme positionscomprising a plurality offorward steps without substantial reversal of its movementbetweenthesteps, followed'by a return movement between its extreme positions, said cycle of'operation of the two advancing means occurring at the same frequency and atthe frequency of acomplete reciprocation during reciprocatory knitting, and meanscontrolled by'the primary controlling device for' selectively determining theoperativeness orinoperativeness, to advance the secondary controlling device, offthe forward steps ofthe advancing means for the secondarycontrolling-device;

10. In com bination with a knitting machine capable ofreciprocatoryknitting, controlling mech anismcomprising primary and secondary controlling devices, cyclicallybperating means for advancing the primary controlling device, said advancing means having, in each cycle of itsoperation, a forward movement between it extreme positions consistingof two forward steps'without substantial reversal of its'movement between the steps, followed by a return movement betweenits extreme positions, advance of'the primary controlling device occurring'in said steps, means for rendering said advancing mean inoperative to advancethe primary controlling device during certain of said steps, cyclically operating: means for advancing the secondary controlling device, said advancingmeans for the secondary controlling device having, in each cycle of its .01)- eration, a forward movement bctweenits extreme positions comprising a plurality of forward steps without substantial'reversal of its movement between the steps, followedby a returnmovement between it's'extreme positions, said cycles of operation of the two advancing means occurring at the same frequency and at the frequency of'a complete reciprocation during reciprocatory knitting, and means controlled by the primary controll'ng device for selectively determining'the operativeness or in'operativeness, to advance the seoondarycon'trolling device, of the forward steps of the advancing means for the secondary controlling device.

'11. In combination with a knitting machine, controlling mechanism comprising primary and secondary controlling devices, and cyclically operating means for advancing one of said controlling devices, said'advancing means having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a plurality of forward steps without substantial reversal of its movement between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, advance of the last mentioned controlling device occurring intermittently during said steps.

12. In combination with a knitting machine, controlling mechanism comprising primary and secondary controlling devices, and cyclically operating means for advancing'both of said controlling devices, each of said advancing means having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a plurality of'forward steps without substantial reversal of its movement between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, advances of the controlling de- 13 vices occurring intermittently during said steps.

13. In combination with a knitting machine, controlling mechanism comprising primary and secondary controlling devices, and cyclically operating means for advancing one of said controlling devices, said advancing means having, in each cycle of its operation, a forward movement between its extreme positions comprising a plurality of forward steps with a dwell between the steps, followed by a return movement between its extreme positions, advance of the last mentioned controlling device occurring intermittently during said steps.

14. In combination with a knitting machine, controlling mechanism comprising primary and secondary controlling devices, cyclically operating mean for imparting to the secondary controlling device a plurality of advancing steps during a single cycle of said cyclically operating means, said cyclically operating means being controlled by said primary controlling device, and cyclically operated means for imparting to the 14 primary controlling device a plurality of advancing steps during a single cycle of the last mentioned cyclically operating means, the last men- 1 tioned cyclically operating means operating to retime during each of its cycles the primary controlling device so that the advancing steps of the primary and secondary controlling devices continuously bear predetermined relationships to each other during operation of the machine.

PAUL W. BRISTOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,172,990 Wildman et a1 Feb. 15, 1916 1,148,055 Scott July 2'7, 1915 1,956,990 Lawson May 1, 1934 1,980,103 Shuford et a1 Nov, 6, 1934 

